Adam Driver is joining the Marvel Cinematic Universe as the supervillain Mister Sinister, while rising star Inde Navarrette will play Rogue in Marvel’s upcoming X-Men reboot.
According to the Associated Press (AP), Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige announced the new cast members at Disney’s D23 convention in Anaheim, California, on Friday night. Driver’s Girls co-star Christopher Abbott will play Professor Charles Xavier, while Maya Boyd has been cast as Storm.
Directed by Jake Schreier, the film is scheduled for release in May 2028. Beef creator Lee Sung Jin and The Bear co-showrunner Joanna Calo are writing the screenplay.
Driver’s involvement had been rumoured for years, with many expecting him to play Magneto. Appearing on a large screen during the D23 presentation, he joked that he would play Magneto before revealing that he would instead portray Nathaniel Essex, better known as Mister Sinister.
“Kevin and I had been talking for years about my joining the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and I think we finally found the perfect film,” Driver said.
Navarrette, who gained attention for her performance in the horror film Obsession, had also been the subject of casting speculation before Marvel confirmed her as Rogue.
Previously announced cast members include Samara Weaving as Emma Frost, Kit Connor as Scott “Cyclops” Summers and Sadie Sink as Jean Grey. Sink’s role was revealed through her appearance in Spider-Man: Brand New Day.
Feige noted that many of the newly assembled cast members had only met backstage shortly before appearing before the audience.
Disney’s D23 presentation also featured updates on its Star Wars, Marvel and Disney+ projects. Ryan Gosling and director Shawn Levy promoted Star Wars: Starfighter, due in May 2027. Gosling plays Kade Auberon, whose fate becomes linked to a powerful starfighter.
The event also featured Star Wars: Ahsoka stars Rosario Dawson and Hayden Christensen. Christensen will return as Anakin Skywalker in the series’ second season.
Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans and Hayley Atwell appeared to promote Avengers: Doomsday, due on 18 December. Downey now plays Doctor Doom, while Evans returns as Captain America. The trailer also features Ian McKellen as Magneto. Hugh Jackman appeared in a video message and suggested he may return as Wolverine, although Marvel has not confirmed his participation.
Disney also previewed Visionquest, starring Paul Bettany as Vision and James Spader as Ultron. The evening included a presentation for Frozen 3, with Kristen Bell and Idina Menzel performing for fans despite technical problems. Josh Gad also performed as Olaf, while the cast of The Greatest Showman presented musical numbers from the stage adaptation.
